Google took down nearly 2 billion 'bad ads' in 2016

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Sketchy advertisers are all over the internet, and Google is doing everything it can to stop them from scamming users. According to a recent report on the matter, the search giant removed 1.7 billion ads from its advertising platform in 2016, more than double the amount compared to the year prior. The online housekeeping included 68 million ads for illegal pharmaceutical products, 80 million for content that misled and deceived consumers, as well as 112 million others that used trick-to-click methods.

Google says it also took down 6,000 sites and 6,000 accounts that advertised counterfeit goods, something that's become a major issue on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Despite its efforts, though, the company knows scammers will continue to try taking advantage of people, so you should always beware of what you're clicking on. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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